So this is coming along faster than I thought it would, I guess that is the result of having over 100 pages of content, outline, and background written before starting. Thank you very much seeking professional help for my first constructive review. Please keep them coming, I need the help. Also heads up now, this will not be matching up with the show's timeline, vague as it was. I have my reasons.

Only possible warning for this chapter, it touches on Shinji's poor experiences in the foster system. As we delve further into that I will do my best to have warnings at the top of any chapters to which they are applicable.

Chapter 4

Shinji Ikari was staring at a hospital ceiling. He knew it was a hospital ceiling right away because he has seen a few hospital ceilings in his time. The extra bits extending from the suspended tiles and the wall near his head give it away.

He knew what each one did because, having had aspirations of being a doctor, he had asked about them during his many visits. He knew which ones were for suction, which was for gas, which ones were for obsolete systems, etc. There were no obsolete ports here so this hospital, or at least this room, must be pretty new he thought. There was a monitor taped around his finger and an IV from a clear bag. Probably just fluids to keep me hydrated, he thought. He realized that despite the monitor on his finger, and the machine it was attached to at his side, there was no noise.

He lay there for a long while, until the position of the sun began to put the light in his eyes. He did not know how long, because there was no clock. He found the bed controls and raised himself up. He was at that curious intersect of exhaustion and having slept too long to be able to resume. He found his body to be sore and protesting every moment.

A little while later Shinji felt hungry and found the call button. The nurse who came was very nice and told him dinner would be soon. As she left, Shinji thought it was weird that the hospital was so new, but she wore such a dated uniform. Instead of scrubs, she wore a white skirt and blouse. Regardless, she brought him a tray of food and helped him arrange his pillows to sit up, then checked the monitor, which was apparently on silent, and removed the fluid bag now that he was taking food and drink.

"E-excuse me Ma'am, but how long have I been here? The last I remember it was night and the sun is going down again, did I sleep through the day?" He asked. The kindly nurse, she really had no interesting features to Shinji but her uniform, smiled.

"Young man, you slept a bit more than that. You were admitted here 3 days ago."

"Oh wow, no wonder I couldn't sleep anymore." Shinji gave an authentic sounding laugh, smiling and closing his eyes to add to the image. "Um, this is going to sound silly, but where am I? Waking up here, I am not sure what I remember was real or a dream."

"Oh it is not silly, you have been unconscious since you arrived. I can tell you that if you remember the city being attacked it was not a dream. This is NERV Tokyo-3 medical treatment and research center, but everyone just calls it NERV medical." She smiled back at the boy. "And no need to put a face with me. No, you did not make a mistake, and I hope this peaks your interest enough to remember me now."

Shinji froze and stared at the smiling nurse. Brown eyes, brown hair in a bun, no jewelry, no make up, no freckles, one pinpoint mark on her forehead, it looked like a sunspot.

"I uh, I… M-may I have your name?"

"If you answer a question for me: Are you acting again or are you really nervous?" She asked.

"Ma'am, if you are truly reading my mind, then I am truly nervous." Shinji replied.

"Say I was reading your mind, how would I be doing that?"

"I dunno, but I don't know all that much, I'm not even in high school yet. Just because I don't understand something, it doesn't mean a thing does not happen or doesn't exist."

"And that, young man…" She says then gently pokes him on the forehead with her index finger. "Is the first step on the path to wisdom. There is always more to know. May you be blessed to see what others do not."

She smiled and told him her name. He thought it was strange and did not sound Japanese at all. Then again she only kind of looked Japanese, but he found he did not remember what she looked like at all once she walked out the door. She was really nice though, if a bit strange, and her name was pretty. Shinji slept really well that night.

When he awoke in the morning Captain Katsuragi and that blond doctor were there.

"Good morning Shinji, how do you feel?" The captain said. Before Shinji could respond, the blond doctor was holding up the loose end of the tube attached to the IV bag hanging beside.

"Did you unplug this?" She said accusingly, the tube held inches from his face and her own face not much further.

"Rits, he just woke up, chill out."

"I didn't unplug it, the nurse last night did. She brought me dinner and said I didn't need it anymore since I was eating." Shinji said.

"See Rits, it was the nurse." Misato followed. Poor kid just woke up and didn't need her accusing him of something.

"Look young man, I don't care who your father is, DO NOT lie to me. You didn't wake up yesterday; there is no record of it or you being brought food. So when did you unplug it?"

"Shinji! Come on, tell the truth." Misato had her hands on her hips, annoyed.

"Honest, that's what I remember! Maybe I was dreaming and just rolled over and it pulled out or something."

Ritsuko Akagi relented after staring the boy down for a few more seconds. Even if it produced suitable pilots, if it made compulsive liars the program was more trouble than it was worth.

"Well you are ready to leave so no point in putting it back on. Give me your hand." Dr. Akagi sits down on the bed by Shinji's leg and removes the monitor then the IV, using a cotton ball to stopper the bleeding then attaching a band aid to his wrist where the needle had been. After collecting the print out she turns and leave.

"His things are in the bag by his bed." She says before slamming the door shut behind her.

"For a doctor, she isn't very nice." Shinji says after several moments of silence.

Misato looks over her shoulder to make sure the door has stayed shut before responding.

"She really isn't. She used to be nicer."

"Have you known her a long time, Misato-san?"

"We met in college, so you could say that. Would you like me to leave so you can change? You are going to have to wear your dirty clothes, I'm sorry I didn't bring your things."

"Oh its okay Misato-san, if you could leave for a couple minutes though."

"Afraid my virgin eyes may be offended?" Misato snarked.

"P-please Misato-san, I guess I am just shy."

"Its okay Shinji, just giving you a hard time. Call me when you are done." She says then steps out.

Shinji got off the bed with a groan, his body still sore all over, and opened the bag that lay against the frame. He sorted the contents and after putting on his underwear and shirt he picked up his pants and felt something inside. He reached in the back pocket and found a black wallet made out of cloth. Which was nice and all but he was fairly sure he had never seen it before. He opened it (growing up under certain conditions you to check for cash first) and found his minor's ID, which he normally kept in his pocket, and a bank card, which he knew he had never seen before. On the card was a figure that Shinji did not recognize in gold, though it kind of looked like the number 30 with a moon over it in calligraphy on a black background and printed across the top was:

LOCK'S Metro International

Banking Above It All

Below this, printed in raised letters was:

Ikari Shinji

Member since 2014

Having never possessed such a thing before, it did not strike Shinji as odd that there was no card number nor an expiration date.

Shinji shrugged and put the wallet in his back pocket after he got put his pants on. If he were to rank all the weird things he had seen since coming here from weirdest to least weird, he mused silently, a new bankcard would make a quite poor showing.

"Misato-san, I'm ready!" He calls out after putting on his shoes. She comes back, sliding her phone into her jacket pocket.

"Ready to go home, Shinji-kun?"

"Home? Like with my foster parents?"

"Oh no, your new home here!"

"It's not with father is it? Please tell me its not with Father!"

"No no no, Shinji, calm down. Your father is really busy and I guess you two don't really get along. I um, well after meeting you I didn't think sending you to live alone was the best idea so um…"

"Misato-san?"

"So I volunteered to have you live with me and I have been appointed your guardian!"

"Oh…" Shinji visibly sulked. "So you are my new foster mom… I'm sorry."

"For what Shinji, you haven't done anything?" Misato said, taking a step closer to the boy. He looked like he was going to cry.

"In the past 6 years I have lived with 7 different families. The first 6 all asked that I be removed and the 7th, the one with the restaurant, remember? I worked for 80 hours a week, barely attended school, and they were still ready to throw me out for being lazy." Shinji said and Misato took another step towards him, then lifted his hands in hers. He twitched and nearly pulled his hands away, but her firm grip was comforting.

"Shinji, I don't know about that, but even if I am going to ask you to pilot Eva, I will do my best to give you a happy home, okay? You'll have chores and they are requiring that I take responsibility for your performance in school, but I won't make you work and with NERV security you will be safe." She said.

"Okay…" He replied, still looking at the floor, his hands limp in hers.

"Hey Shinji." She says, in her best perky voice, and he looks up.

"Lets go home." She said, looking down at him with a warm smile. It reminded him of his brief memories of his mother and that made him happy. He smiled back.

"Okay."

End

Heading off any speculation on that cliche, no Shinji is not playing up an act and secretly awesome ala Thousand Shinji. That was awesome in that story but I am not going to steal it. Just like many people in reality, what he shows and what is in his mind are different. Answers will come later.

Edit: 11/3/14 very end, small detail, Shinji reacts to Misato touching his hands.